Smile of the silver snake
by JupiterGodess
Summary: In order to kill the monster, a boy has to become a snake. (A little Gin introspection set in the night he went to kill the 5th Division's 3rd Seat.)


**Smile of the silver snake**

Night had fallen over the Soul Society. The barracks of the 5th Division lay silent.

Gin Ichimaru lay on his bed, but his heart was anything but silent. In fact, he couldn't hold back a certain nervousness.

_Come on, Gin. You can do it. __For Rangiku. And for the Seireitei._

The silver-haired boy took a deep breath, relaxing his muscles. At the same time, he reminded himself once more of why he was even executing such a dangerous plan.

The men he had observed the day he had found Rangiku. He second time he had seen them and the realisation that they had been responsible for the condition he had foudn her in. The realisation Aizen had been the one in charge.

Gin clenched a fist as a bubble of anger rose in his chest. It was the same anger he had felt when he had realised that Aizen and his henchmen had left Rangiku to die in the street.

_Curse them for doing that to her!_

He liked Rangiku. More than he dared to admit. More than he like anyone else. And Aizen was going to pay for what he had done to her. But even if that weren't so, he would still have been angry. Life in the Rukon district was hard enough for orphans. It was unfair that they were being picked on by Aizen and his men.

And there was one more thing…

Gin was but a boy. But even back then, that night he had recognised Aizen as the leader, he had realised something else. That Aizen was dangerous. Perhaps the most dangerous being alive. Gin didn't know exactly what the 5th Division's lieutenant was exactly up to, but it couldn't be anything good. And by the looks of it, none of the other Shinigami in the Gotei 13 were aware of his doings. There couldn't be any other reason for why he was still running around freely.

_I am the only one who knows. I am the only one able to stop him._

It was a good thing Gin was patient and rather cold-blooded by nature. This was going to help him with his plan. Together with his apparently phenomenal acting skills. So far, Aizen actually didn't seem to suspect a thing.

_Ah… but my biggest performance is yet to come. __And tonight will be the opening act._

Despite all that, he was still a boy. A boy who had never taken a life. It was a prospect that still made him uncomfortable.

He thought of Rangiku, and why he was doing this all. Then he exhaled deeply, stealing his heart andn locking away his precious memories of her in a remote corner of it. For one second, he felt a pang of remorse and wished he could tell Rangiku everything.

But he couldn't. It was too dangerous. And the last thing he wanted was to put her in danger. Neither could he allow his plan to fail, so he needed to eliminate every possible risk. No. Rangiku mustn't know. For her own sake. And for the sake of Gin's plan.

_Aizen has to die. I cannot allow anything to get in my way._

Mentally, he slipped into the role he was going to have to play from now on. Put on a proverbial mask. Let it cover and hide away his true self. It had to sit perfectly; one slip, one mistake, and it was over. Gin had to trust into his acting skills, which so far had not yet let him down. So far, everything had worked out just perfectly. He had finished the Shinigami Academy after only one year, which had roused Aizen's interest. And now Gin was in the same Division and the brown-haired lieutenant. Just as he had planned. But that wasn't enough. He had to become a snake. Cold. Heartless.

Then he stood as quietly as possible, as not to wake the others. Reached for Shinso. Having everything he needed, he snuck out of the building.

Once the deed was done, there would be no turning back. Gin didn't exactly know what was coming once he had entered Aizen's service. But he couldn't allow this fact to deter him.

As he hastened through the night, his initial reaction was to clench his teeth. Instead, in accordance with his role, Gin spread his lips into a snake-like smile. That smile that had become his mask. Whatever was needed to gain Aizen's approval and eventual trust, he was going to do it. No matter the cost.

A few minutes later, he reached the appointed place. The man was already there, which he ought to. Gin had gone to great lenghts giving him a letter that couldn't be traced back to him. Still a wide smile on his lips, he went to work.

He had a 3rd Seat to kill.

Author's note: Gin, Gin, Gin. You make it hard to like you, but also unable to hate you. Oh well folks, here this story is. Popped into my head spontaneously, and here it is. I hope you enjoy this little Gin introspectin. Because no matter if you like Gin or not, he and Rangiku are one of the best pairings in Bleach, and the most tragic at that. Agh… if only that constant cold-blooded snake reference about him didn't sting so much. My Chinese Zodiac Sign is the Snake, and I personally don't think they're that bad. I don't need to pet them, but I don't malign them either.


End file.
